This application relates to the art of locking mechanisms and, more particularly, to releasable locking mechanisms for releasably locking devices to a shaft.
The invention is particularly applicable for use in an apparatus for rotating a wheel in order to balance same and will be described with reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader applications and may be adapted for and used in other apparatus and environments.
Known locking mechanisms between telescoped tubes include expandable segments carried by one tube for outward expansion into locking engagement with the other tube for preventing relative axial movement between the tubes. Contraction of the segments takes place simply by removing the expanding force. For certain purposes, it would be desirable to provide a locking mechanism of this type which was capable of some axial movement subsequent to outward expansion. It is also desirable to provide a locking mechanism of this type with contracting means which acts positively to move and hold the segments inwardly.